Song/Book: A Multimedia Yiddish Musical Performance

On June 26th, join us with micrograntee Alexandra Gorlin-Crenshaw for Song/Book, a live performance piece that intertwines music, puppetry arts, handmade artist books, and Yiddish folk songs.

Following the performance, there will be time for discussion, questions and an up-close look at the books and puppets! Part performance, part exchange of ideas, this event is suited for all who are curious about Yiddish music and Yiddish-inspired artworks. The audience will be invited to immerse themselves in the sounds and images, an expressive world containing echoes of their own stories and experiences.

Song/Book is a developing performance of Alexandra’s arrangements of Yiddish folk songs, haunting vocals, and handmade artist books and crankies.* She sings melodies old and new, accompanied by her prerecorded piano arrangements, recorded voice layered into a choir, or a capella. Each song is integrally linked to its respective book and crankie, and Alexandra manipulates them in time to the music, with shadows and puppets moving across the pages. A live camera and projector enlarge the miniature books and subtle movements into wall-sized projections, creating both an intimate and immersive performance.

* A crankie box is an illustrated scroll, wound onto two spools and set inside a wooden frame. Common in 19th century folk arts, crankies were popular prior to the advent of cinema, and provided visual accompaniment to songs, poems, or stories. 

Doors open at 7:00pm. Performance begins at 7:30pm. A discussion and Q&A will follow.

Admission is free and space is very limited, due to the intimate nature of this style of performance. Advanced registration is encouraged. Click here to reserve your spot.

Alexandra Gorlin-Crenshawworks at the intersection of music and puppetry arts, drawing on her training as a soprano, composer, and pianist, and honing new skills along the way. Her work gravitates towards themes of heritage, memory, ritual, and belonging, with moments of suspension that create an altered sense of time or place. In her performances you may find original music and texts, folk songs, lieder, self-accompanied opera arias, projections, shadow theatre, handmade puppets, artist books, and crankies. Thanks to support from the Conseil des arts et lettres de Québec, the Foundation for Yiddish Culture, and the Canada Council for the Arts, Alexandra’s current projects include The Ghosts at My Address (2024), for two pianists and their voices, premiered in Soundstreams’ “Keyed-Up” Festival in Toronto; Ava’s House (forthcoming 2027), for soprano and toy theatre box; and Songs That Shan’t Be Named, for four soprano-dancers, body percussion, and shadow theatre.

Accessibility: Please note that the upper floors of our building are currently not accessible to visitors with limited mobility. This event will take place on the ground floor, which is accessible via ramp from our main entrance.

This event is a part of the Museum of Jewish Montreal’s 2025 Microgrant Program for Creative or Cultural Exploration, made possible with support by the Azrieli Foundation, the Betty Averbach Foundation, and CANVAS.